Califia Farms has launched a new long-life oat drink exclusively in the UK market, as it aims to encourage consumers to make the switch from dairy milk and reduce their environmental ‘foodprint’. The vegan beverage is soy-free and made with whole rolled oats, without any sugar. It also contains added calcium and vitamin D, in an effort to appeal to health-conscious consumers. Califia Farms is encouraging consumers to be more experimental with their plant-based milk and suggests that its newest drink is used not only in tea and coffee, but as an ingredient in breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes. “Shoppers have more choice than ever when it comes to selecting which dairy-free milk alternative to add to their basket, which is why we are encouraging them to demand more from their oat and get the most of this astoundingly efficient grain,” said Lauren Visagie, UK marketing manager at Califia Farms. She added: “The trend towards a plant-based diet is showing no signs of slowing and having built a loyal customer base with the rest of our range, our new Oat Drink is designed to excite consumers with its new-found versatility.” The unsweetened oat drink joins the US brand’s range of plant-based drinks that are available in the UK such as its oat barista blend, flavoured almond beverages, and range of cold brew coffee. The new oat drink is available now in Sainsbury’s for £2 per litre carton. #CalifiaFarms #UK #vegan #dairyfree #Oatmilk

Califia Farms has launched a new long-life oat drink exclusively in the UK market, as it aims to encourage consumers to make the switch from dairy milk and reduce their environmental ‘foodprint’. The vegan beverage is soy-free and made with whole rolled oats, without any sugar. It also contains added calcium and vitamin D, in an effort to appeal to health-conscious consumers. Califia Farms is encouraging consumers to be more experimental with their plant-based milk and suggests that its newest drink is used not only in tea and coffee, but as an ingredient in breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes. “Shoppers have more choice than ever when it comes to selecting which dairy-free milk alternative to add to their basket, which is why we are encouraging them to demand more from their oat and get the most of this astoundingly efficient grain,” said Lauren Visagie, UK marketing manager at Califia Farms. She added: “The trend towards a plant-based diet is showing no signs of slowing and having built a loyal customer base with the rest of our range, our new Oat Drink is designed to excite consumers with its new-found versatility.” The unsweetened oat drink joins the US brand’s range of plant-based drinks that are available in the UK such as its oat barista blend, flavoured almond beverages, and range of cold brew coffee. The new oat drink is available now in Sainsbury’s for £2 per litre carton.

Meati Foods has raised $28 million in a Series A funding round to scale up production of its plant-based meat product. Colorado-based Meati uses an edible type of mycelium – the thread-like vegetative component of fungi – to make its meat alternative product. 3oz of Meati meat reportedly offers 16g of complete protein, is a source of fibre and contains essential vitamins and minerals. Meati claims that the mycelium – which it cultivates in-house – is ‘extremely’ resource efficient, resulting in cost savings that will in the future enable Meati to reach price parity with conventional animal meat. The company’s Series A round was led by Acre Venture Partners and included investments from Prelude Ventures, Congruent Ventures, Tao Capital and others. Meati’s latest financing push was also backed by Once Upon A Farm CEO, John Foraker, as well as Sweetgreen co-founders, Nicolas Jammet and Jonathan Neman. The company says that it will use the funds to expand its production capacity, including with the construction of a new facility and through hiring more staff. This in turn will support commercial collaborations across retail and foodservice. “For years we have looked for an alternative meat that is as nutritious as it is sustainable. With Meati, there is no need to compromise,” said Lucas Mann, managing partner at Acre. “The company has attracted a uniquely experienced syndicate of investors to help Meati get to market in a significant way.” Meati Foods CEO and co-founder, Tyler Huggins, added: “We started Meati Foods to deliver nutrient-rich, energising food in an enjoyable and familiar way, while also diversifying our food system with an offering that reduces costs to people and our environment.”

Meati Foods has raised $28 million in a Series A funding round to scale up production of its plant-based meat product. Colorado-based Meati uses an edible type of mycelium – the thread-like vegetative component of fungi – to make its meat alternative product. 3oz of Meati meat reportedly offers 16g of complete protein, is a source of fibre and contains essential vitamins and minerals. Meati claims that the mycelium – which it cultivates in-house – is ‘extremely’ resource efficient, resulting in cost savings that will in the future enable Meati to reach price parity with conventional animal meat. The company’s Series A round was led by Acre Venture Partners and included investments from Prelude Ventures, Congruent Ventures, Tao Capital and others. Meati’s latest financing push was also backed by Once Upon A Farm CEO, John Foraker, as well as Sweetgreen co-founders, Nicolas Jammet and Jonathan Neman. The company says that it will use the funds to expand its production capacity, including with the construction of a new facility and through hiring more staff. This in turn will support commercial collaborations across retail and foodservice. “For years we have looked for an alternative meat that is as nutritious as it is sustainable. With Meati, there is no need to compromise,” said Lucas Mann, managing partner at Acre. “The company has attracted a uniquely experienced syndicate of investors to help Meati get to market in a significant way.” Meati Foods CEO and co-founder, Tyler Huggins, added: “We started Meati Foods to deliver nutrient-rich, energising food in an enjoyable and familiar way, while also diversifying our food system with an offering that reduces costs to people and our environment.” #meatalternatives #MeatiFoods #US

UK snack brand Proper has added to its better-for-you popcorn collection with the launch of new salted caramel and sweet flavours. The new products aim to provide a healthier alternative of the snack, with both varieties containing less than 100 calories per serving. Meanwhile, Proper claims that its new salted caramel flavour contains 40% less sugar than market leaders. Like all of the Propercorn collection, the new flavours are also vegan, gluten-free and made using all-natural seasonings. Fairtrade accredited, the brand’s sweet popcorn variety is made using a mix of unrefined, raw cane and caster sugar. With its Propercorn collection, the brand also looks to capitalise on the trend for everyday treats suitable for at-home sharing. “Popcorn has gained strong momentum since lockdown began, as more people stay at home and make more of their nights in,” said Cassandra Stavrou, founder of Proper. She added: “We’ve reimagined the much-loved cinema classics to create two flavours for those who are looking for a healthier alternative for their big night in. Packed full of Proper nostalgia, our night-in range balances health and taste, for the ultimate sweet treat that you don’t have to feel bad about.” Propercorn’s new salted caramel and sweet flavours are available nationwide from Tesco and Sainsbury’s in 90g sharing bags for an RRP of £1.59.

UK snack brand Proper has added to its better-for-you popcorn collection with the launch of new salted caramel and sweet flavours. The new products aim to provide a healthier alternative of the snack, with both varieties containing less than 100 calories per serving. Meanwhile, Proper claims that its new salted caramel flavour contains 40% less sugar than market leaders. Like all of the Propercorn collection, the new flavours are also vegan, gluten-free and made using all-natural seasonings. Fairtrade accredited, the brand’s sweet popcorn variety is made using a mix of unrefined, raw cane and caster sugar. With its Propercorn collection, the brand also looks to capitalise on the trend for everyday treats suitable for at-home sharing. “Popcorn has gained strong momentum since lockdown began, as more people stay at home and make more of their nights in,” said Cassandra Stavrou, founder of Proper. She added: “We’ve reimagined the much-loved cinema classics to create two flavours for those who are looking for a healthier alternative for their big night in. Packed full of Proper nostalgia, our night-in range balances health and taste, for the ultimate sweet treat that you don’t have to feel bad about.” Propercorn’s new salted caramel and sweet flavours are available nationwide from Tesco and Sainsbury’s in 90g sharing bags for an RRP of £1.59. #Proper #Propercorn #UK #vegan

UK plant-based brand Gosh! Food has unveiled a new range of ready-to-eat plant-based Snack Bites. The chilled, ready-to-eat snack products will be available in two flavours: Smokey BBQ sweet potato and Moroccan spiced veg. The former combines sweet potato with sweetcorn, black beans and ‘deep South-inspired’ herbs and spices, while the latter is inspired by the cuisine of North Africa, combining chickpeas, red pepper, dates, apricots, spices and herbs. According to Gosh!, the release of the new snack products aims to cater to the growing demand for healthy, convenient and plant-based snacks from consumers in the UK. William Topp, marketing manager at Gosh! Food said: “There’s an ever-growing demand for healthy, plant-based snacks and we believe that we are entering this category with a truly unique offering, in a convenient format. “Not many products are genuinely tasty and healthy, yet we are confident that we have achieved this with our all-natural Snack Bites. Whether it is adding them to your lunchbox or giving yourself a pick me up throughout the day, we believe these are a great addition to the snack market as a whole”. The new Gosh! Food Snack Bites will be available from the free-from chilled aisle in Morrison’s stores across the UK from November onwards. #GoshFood #plantbased #plantbasedsnacks #UK

UK plant-based brand Gosh! Food has unveiled a new range of ready-to-eat plant-based Snack Bites. The chilled, ready-to-eat snack products will be available in two flavours: Smokey BBQ sweet potato and Moroccan spiced veg. The former combines sweet potato with sweetcorn, black beans and 'deep South-inspired' herbs and spices, while the latter is inspired by the cuisine of North Africa, combining chickpeas, red pepper, dates, apricots, spices and herbs. According to Gosh!, the release of the new snack products aims to cater to the growing demand for healthy, convenient and plant-based snacks from consumers in the UK. William Topp, marketing manager at Gosh! Food said: “There’s an ever-growing demand for healthy, plant-based snacks and we believe that we are entering this category with a truly unique offering, in a convenient format. "Not many products are genuinely tasty and healthy, yet we are confident that we have achieved this with our all-natural Snack Bites. Whether it is adding them to your lunchbox or giving yourself a pick me up throughout the day, we believe these are a great addition to the snack market as a whole”. The new Gosh! Food Snack Bites will be available from the free-from chilled aisle in Morrison's stores across the UK from November onwards.

The Protein Brewery has raised €22 million in a funding round led by Novo Holdings, as it aims to deliver sustainable, nutritious and affordable animal-free protein with its fermentation technology. With the capital, the start-up will be able to continue its research and development, and scale up the production of its Fermotein food ingredient with a new plant for commercialisation. The Series A round brings its total funding to date to €26 million, as Novo Holdings was joined by new investors Roquette Ventures and Unovis Asset Management. Based in the Netherlands, The Protein Brewery was founded in January 2020, resulting from a demerger of Bioscienz, a company that develops new technologies based on microbial fermentation. The company’s production technology combines its proprietary microorganisms with a brewing process, which reportedly results in a food ingredient with an ‘excellent’ nutritional profile and an amino acid composition similar to conventional meat. According to the start-up, its Fermotein ingredient will be available in both wet ‘cake’ product that can be used in applications such as meat alternatives, as well as a dry powder form that can be used in pasta, bakery products, protein bars and ice cream. The application process for the ingredient is already underway in the US and European market, anticipated to receive regulatory approval in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Fermotein can be produced from a variety of crops such as cassava, corn, potatoes, sugar beet and sugar cane. The start-up says this enables commercialisation around the globe with local production offering a sustainable protein option. “It is an important driver in our mission to contribute to a more sustainable world, developing novel ways of producing food proteins using fermentation technologies,” said Wim de Laat, founder of The Protein Brewery. He added: “The financial support and domain expertise of the investors in The Protein Brewery, are key milestones in executing our goals even more rapidly and broadly. It provides headway to take the next important step and move towards the realisation of a pilot plant, demonstrating the process, the properties and benefits of our innovative and nutritious food ingredient.” Thomas Grotkjær, principal at Novo Holdings, said: “The Fermotein product is nutritious, has a very sustainable profile, and is applicable to a wide range of products demanded by consumers. With this product, the company is entering a fast-growing alternative proteins market.” #fermentation #NovoHoldings #plantbasedprotein #TheProteinBrewery

The Protein Brewery has raised €22 million in a funding round led by Novo Holdings, as it aims to deliver sustainable, nutritious and affordable animal-free protein with its fermentation technology. With the capital, the start-up will be able to continue its research and development, and scale up the production of its Fermotein food ingredient with a new plant for commercialisation. The Series A round brings its total funding to date to €26 million, as Novo Holdings was joined by new investors Roquette Ventures and Unovis Asset Management. Based in the Netherlands, The Protein Brewery was founded in January 2020, resulting from a demerger of Bioscienz, a company that develops new technologies based on microbial fermentation. The company’s production technology combines its proprietary microorganisms with a brewing process, which reportedly results in a food ingredient with an ‘excellent’ nutritional profile and an amino acid composition similar to conventional meat. According to the start-up, its Fermotein ingredient will be available in both wet ‘cake’ product that can be used in applications such as meat alternatives, as well as a dry powder form that can be used in pasta, bakery products, protein bars and ice cream. The application process for the ingredient is already underway in the US and European market, anticipated to receive regulatory approval in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Fermotein can be produced from a variety of crops such as cassava, corn, potatoes, sugar beet and sugar cane. The start-up says this enables commercialisation around the globe with local production offering a sustainable protein option. “It is an important driver in our mission to contribute to a more sustainable world, developing novel ways of producing food proteins using fermentation technologies,” said Wim de Laat, founder of The Protein Brewery. He added: “The financial support and domain expertise of the investors in The Protein Brewery, are key milestones in executing our goals even more rapidly and broadly. It provides headway to take the next important step and move towards the realisation of a pilot plant, demonstrating the process, the properties and benefits of our innovative and nutritious food ingredient.” Thomas Grotkjær, principal at Novo Holdings, said: “The Fermotein product is nutritious, has a very sustainable profile, and is applicable to a wide range of products demanded by consumers. With this product, the company is entering a fast-growing alternative proteins market.”

UK brand Crackd has secured national distribution for its liquid plant-based egg replacement product, suitable for eggless bakes and savoury dishes. Crackd The No-Egg Egg is made using pea protein, which is cold pressed to retain both flavour and nutrients. The product is said to be rich in vitamin B12 – which vegans sometimes struggle to get enough of – and allergen free. The launch of Crackd The No-Egg Egg aims to provide a credible egg replacement for vegans and flexitarians alike. A source of protein, the product can be used to make quiche, frittata, omelette, Yorkshire pudding, cake, cookies and more. The Crackd liquid egg replacement will be launching into M&S stores in December, with more retailers to follow for Veganuary. The product will also be available from online retailer The Vegan Kind. #Crackd #UK

UK brand Crackd has secured national distribution for its liquid plant-based egg replacement product, suitable for eggless bakes and savoury dishes. Crackd The No-Egg Egg is made using pea protein, which is cold pressed to retain both flavour and nutrients. The product is said to be rich in vitamin B12 – which vegans sometimes struggle to get enough of – and allergen free. The launch of Crackd The No-Egg Egg aims to provide a credible egg replacement for vegans and flexitarians alike. A source of protein, the product can be used to make quiche, frittata, omelette, Yorkshire pudding, cake, cookies and more. The Crackd liquid egg replacement will be launching into M&S stores in December, with more retailers to follow for Veganuary. The product will also be available from online retailer The Vegan Kind.